Girdle



April 28, 1964 F. B. ZDAN 3,130,731

GIRDLE Filed Aug. 9, 1962 FIG.4

INVENTOR FE R N B. Z DA N United States Patent 3,130,731 GIRDLE Fern B. Zdan, 6818 Harman Ave, Omaha 4, Nebr. Filed Aug. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 215,827 3 Claims. (Cl. 128-531) It is an object of this invention to provide a formholding undergarment for the human body which will maintain a constant pressure on a users abdomen, lower back, and upper portions of the hips for providing a feeling of well-being and for maintaining internal organs, especially of the abdomen, in proper relationship for healthful functioning.

It is an important object of this invention not only to provide the benefits as stated, but also to provide an undergarment designed to give a greater degree of flexibility than heretofore achieved in this field, and also by a new mode and arrangement, considerably less material covers the body of the user, whereby circulation of air is permitted over a larger area of the body.

As is well-known, the human body becomes unsightly from a bulge of flesh at the upper side part of the hips and from an extended abdomen. The prior art girdles and corsets press inwardly not only at these points, but adjacent areas as well, whereby freedom of movement is impeded by the all around rigidity of these devices as well as pressing an excessive amount of fatty flesh upwardly, crowding the lungs, and interfering with the breathing of the wearer.

The present invention overcomes these objectionable results of prior art devices by application of pressure only on the necessary areas of the body.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and claims, the scope of the invention not being limited to the drawings themselves as the drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a way in which the principles of this invention can be applied.

Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a human torso with the invention in a position of use.

FIGURE 2 is a frontal view of the invention in the shape it would assume if laid flat on a horizontal surface.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the invention.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the lines 44 of FIGURE 2 showing stiffener members which are applied at several places on the invention.

The girdle of this invention is generally shown by the number which is made from flexible resilient material in a band, the ends of which are fixed together by stitching, or the like, or with certain types of machines or processes, the material would be formed into an integral endless band.

The girdle 10 is formed with an upper loop 12 having a rear portion 14 positioned in use across the back of a user extending at each end to elongated downwardly inclined side portions 16 and 18.

The side portions 16 and 18 pass across the sides of the upper hip portion of a user and the girdle is stretched to press inwardly upon the bulges common at the sides of the upper hip portion of many persons.

From each side portion 16 and 18, the girdle 10 extends across the abdomen of the user in front portions 28 and 30 which latter are criss-crossed, one overlapping the other to form an abdomen bracing area 31 adapted to press inwardly only at that portion of the abdomen which com monly has lost the internal muscle support of the body.

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A lower loop 32 of the girdle is an extension of the criss-crossed front portions 28 and 30 having elongated upwardly inclined side portions 34 and 36 passed around the sides of the upper legs of the torso joining a lower rear portion 33 which latter is adapted to pull inwardly those folds of flesh often formed at each lower portion of the buttocks and often cause an unsightly appearance to clothes at these points.

As shown by FIGURE 2, one mode of manufacture would form the girdle 10 with two ends 46 and 48 which overlap each other a distance across the said criss-crossed abdomen bracing area 31. These ends 46 and 48 are joined to each other and also to the other crossing portion of the girdle by stitching 50 whereby the girdle is made an integral whole.

When the girdle is manufactured as an endless band, the stitching 58 is also employed to join the said upper and lower loops 12 and 32 together at the criss-crossed abdomen area 31.

Four stiffening members 53 of semi-flexible material are disposed transversely across the girdle 10 spaced slightly away from the area 31, one being provided on each of the ends of the upper and lower loops 12 and 32.

As best shown in section by FIGURE 4, the stilfeners 58 are held in position by strips 60 of fabric or the like which overlap the stiffeners and are joined by stitching 62 to the girdle 10.

The stiifeners provide a degree of transverse rigidity to the area where they are positioned in order that the girdle will not curl up about itself at these points.

As the human body varies from person to person, certain features of the invention are not necessary such as the stilfeners 58, for some users, but necessary for others. The invention has provided a girdle for forming the human torso to a pleasing shape, enabling a user to wear mass-produced clothes without alteration while affording a greater degree of comfort and well being than heretofore from garments of this type.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a girdle constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use, by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention can be changed and modified without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

I claim:

1. A girdle having a shape when laid on a horizontal surface such that it has elongated upper and lower rear portions lying in a horizontal plane and disposed approximately in parallelism and laterally spaced apart with respect to each other a substantial distance so that said upper rear portion is adapted to extend across the back of a wearer approximately at the upper part of the hip portion of a wearers body and so that the lower rear portion is adapted to be disposed extending across the lower portion of the wearers buttocks, said girdle further having a shape when laid on said horizontal surface such that the remainder of said girdle comprises a first elongated inclined portion having one end extending from one end of said upper rear portion alongside of and at an acute angle with respect to said upper rear portion and said first inclined portion having its other end joined to an end of said lower rear portion opposite to said one end of said back portion, a second elongated inclined portion having one end attached to the opposite end of said upper rear portion from said one end of the latter and extending alongside of and at an acute angle to said upper rear portion, said second inclined portion having its other end joined to the opposite end of said lower rear portion inclined portions thereof for preventing said inclined porfrom said one end thereof, and said inclined portions tions from curling.

lapping and criss-crossing each other whereby the said 3. The combination of claim 1 further in which lapping lapping parts of said inclined portions can be disposed at portions are secured together.

the wearers abdomen, said portions having flexibility 5 and elasticity whereby when the girdle is placed on 21 References Cited in the file of this patent wearer and is in a stretched condition its elasticity tends to hold the wearers abdomen inwardly. UNITED STATES PATENTS 2. The combination of claim 1 in which said girdle is 1,033,957 Shultz July 30, 1912 further provided with stifiening members attached to said 10 2,958,327 Geissmann NOV. 1, 1960 

1. A GIRDLE HAVING A SHAPE WHEN LAID ON A HORIZONTAL SURFACE SUCH THAT IT HAS ELONGATED UPPER AND LOWER REAR PORTIONS LYING IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE AND DISPOSED APPROXIMATELY IN PARALLELISM AND LATERALLY SPACED APART WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE SO THAT SAID UPPER REAR PORTION IS ADAPTED TO EXTEND ACROSS THE BACK OF A WEARER APPROXIMATELY AT THE UPPER PART OF THE HIP PORTION OF A WEARER''S BODY AND SO THAT THE LOWER REAR PORTION IS ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED EXTENDING ACROSS THE LOWER PORTION OF THE WEARER''S BUTTOCKS, SAID GIRDLE FURTHER HAVING A SHAPE WHEN LAID ON SAID HORIZONTAL SURFACE SUCH THAT THE REMAINDER OF SAID GIRDLE COMPRISES A FIRST ELONGATED INCLINED PORTION HAVING ONE END EXTENDING FROM ONE END OF SAID UPPER REAR PORTION ALONGSIDE OF AND AT AN ACUTE ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID UPPER REAR PORTION AND SAID FIRST INCLINED PORTION HAVING ITS OTHER END JOINED TO AN END OF SAID LOWER REAR PORTION OPPOSITE TO SAID ONE END OF SAID BACK PORTION, A SECOND ELONGATED INCLINED PORTION HAVING ONE END ATTACHED TO THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID UPPER REAR PORTION FROM SAID ONE END OF THE LATTER AND EXTENDING ALONGSIDE OF AND AT AN ACUTE ANGLE TO SAID UPPER REAR PORTION, SAID SECOND INCLINED PORTION HAVING ITS OTHER END JOINED TO THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID INCLINED PORTIONS FROM SAID ONE END THEREOF, AND SAID INCLINED PORTIONS LAPPING AND CRISS-CROSSING EACH OTHER WHEREBY THE SAID LAPPING PARTS OF SAID INCLINED PORTIONS CAN BE DISPOSED AT THE WEARER''S ABDOMEN, SAID PORTIONS HAVING FLEXIBILITY AND ELASTICITY WHEREBY WHEN THE GIRDLE IS PLACED ON A WEARER AND IS IN A STRETCHED CONDITION ITS ELASTICITY TENDS TO HOLD THE WEARER''S ABDOMEN INWARDLY. 